City Ordinances

This page will be used for topics that are in the news. It will also be used to answer any questions about new laws or details that the police department might need to explain about the law or other problems in the community. If you have any questions about these ordinances please email your questions to the Police Department or view a complete listing of the Independence City Code.

Curfew for MinorsSection 70-26. Penalty
Any person, either parent or child, violating any of these provisions of this article shall, upon conviction, be punished as provided in section 1-14.

Section 70-27. Imposed, Exceptions
It shall be unlawful for any child under the age of 18 years to wander, lounge, loaf, loiter or play in, about or upon any public street, alley sidewalk, private property not belonging to such juvenile or his parents, public place or other place normally accessible to the general public for public use, whether on foot or in a vehicle or by any other means, after the hour of 12:30 a.m. and before the hour of 5:30 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or other person exercising legal custody of such child; provided, however, that such prohibition shall not apply to those children under the age of 18 years who are en route by the most direct and accessible route between their homes and authorized places of employment, nor to those who are en route by the most direct and accessible route from a place of employment, authorized entertainment or authorized place of attendance to their residences.

Section 70-28. Parental Responsibility
It is unlawful for any parent, legal guardian or other person lawfully entitled to the care, custody and control of any child under the age of 18 years to suffer, permit or allow any such child to wander, lounge, loaf, loiter or play in, about or upon any street, alley, sidewalk, private property not belonging to such juvenile or his parents, public place, or other place after the hour of 12:30 a.m. and before the hour of 5:30 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or other person lawfully entitled to the care, custody and control of such child.
Section 70-29. Suspension of curfew
The Board of Commissioners, on specific occasions and in response to written requests submitted not less than 15 calendar days prior to the occasion, shall have the authority to suspend the curfew hours as stated in this article.

Regulating Amplified Sound From VehicleSection 1
It shall be unlawful for the operator or occupant of a vehicle on public or private property to operate or permit the operation of any sound amplification system from within the vehicle so that the sound is plainly audible at a distance of 100 or more feet from the vehicle.

Section 3
"Plainly audible" means any sound produced by such a sound amplification system from within the vehicle which can clearly be heard from a distance of 100 hundred feet or more. Measurement standards shall be by the auditory senses based upon a direct line of sight. Words or phrases need not be discernible and bass vibrations are included.

Section 4
The provisions of this ordinance shall not apply to the following activities:

(a) Sound from authorized emergency vehicles;

(b) Sound made to alert persons of the existence of an emergency, danger, or imminent crisis;

(c) Exempt commercial vehicles as hereinafter provided; and

(d) Vehicles participating in parades authorized by the City Commission.

Section 5
Upon application, the City Commission may grant commercial vehicles an exemption from this ordinance upon a finding of the following conditions:

(a) The exemption requested arises from a condition which is unique to the vehicle and which is not ordinarily found in vehicles;

(b) The granting request of the exemption will not adversely affect the public health, safety, morals, order, convenience, prosperity, or general welfare;

(c) The strict application of the ordinance will constitute an unnecessary hardship upon the applicant; and

(d) The granting of the exemption will not be opposed to the general spirit and intent of the ordinance.

Section 6
If granted, the exemption shall be for a specific period of time and may be revoked upon reasonable notice to and an opportunity to be heard by the holder of the exemption.

Section 7
The violation of this ordinance is a misdemeanor and any person convicted thereof shall be punished as follows:

(a) For the first offense, a fine of not less than $50 nor more than $500;

(b) For the second offense, a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $1,000; and

(c) For the third or subsequent offense, a fine of not less than $250 nor more than $1,000 or imprisonment of up to thirty days or both such fine and imprisonment.

(a) No motor vehicle required to be registered in this state and which is operated on the highways of this city shall be equipped with one-way glass or any sun screen device, as defined in section 1, and used in conjunction with safety glazing materials that do not meet the following requirements:

A sun screening device when used in conjunction with the windshield shall be non reflective and shall not be red, yellow or amber in color. A sun screen device shall not extend downward beyond the AS 1 line which is clearly defined and marked;

A sun screening device when used in conjunction with the safety glazing materials of the side wings or side windows located at the immediate right and left of the driver, the side windows behind the driver and the rear most window shall be non reflective; and

The total light transmission shall not be less than 35% when a sun screening device is used in conjunction with safety glazing or other existing sun screening devices.

(b) This section shall not prohibit labels, stickers or other informational signs that are required or permitted by law.

(c) No motor vehicle required to be registered in this state which is operated on the highways of this city shall be equipped with headlamps which are covered with any sun screen device, adhesive film or other glaze or application which, when such lamps are not in operation, is highly reflective or otherwise nontransparent.

(d) Any person violating the provisions of (a), (b) or (c) of this section shall be in violation of this ordinance and punished as provided in section 201.

(e) Any person who installs a sun screening device on a motor vehicle which is not in compliance with the provisions of this section, upon conviction, shall be guilty of a violation of this ordinance and shall be punished by a fine of not more than $500 or by imprisonment for not more than one month or by both such fine and imprisonment.(Kansas Statutes Annotated (K.S.A.) 8-1749a; K.S.A. 8-1749c)

Licensing of Dogs & Cats
The City Commission recently adopted a new ordinance relating to the licensing of dogs and cats. The licensing period has changed from July 1 - June 30 to January 1 - December 31. If you purchased your tag on or after July 1, 2006 then your license will not expire until December 31, 2007. Licenses may be purchased at City Hall or at your Veterinarian's Office. Proof of rabies vaccination is required prior to issuance of a license. The license costs are as follows:

Dogs (Spayed) - $3

Dogs (Not Spayed) - $6

Cats (Spayed) - $3

Cats (Not Spayed) - $6

The penalty for delinquency is $0.50 per month.

Maximum Number of Dogs
The City Commission also recently adopted Ordinance No. 3973 relating to the maximum number of dogs that may be kept at a residence. As of December 13, 2006 no more than 4 dogs may be kept within the City, however, if a person currently has more than 4 dogs as of December 13, 2006 and such dogs are licensed by April 12, 2007 then such dogs may continue to reside in the City as long as such licenses are renewed each year. Licenses expire on December 31 as explained in the first paragraph of this notice.

Pit Bulls
Ordinance No. 3964 which bans Pit Bull dogs went into effect on December 7, 2006. This ordinance states that no resident shall own, keep, harbor, or in any way possess a Pit Bull Dog within the City limits. Pit Bull Dogs which were kept in the City limits as of December 7, 2006 and are issued a Pit Bull Dog Permit by April 6 2007 may continue to be located in the City limits as long as the keep their permit(s) current and they meet mandatory requirements relating to confinement, signage, insurance, leash requirements, etc.

The cost for Pit Bull Dog Permits is $25 for each Pit Bull dog for the first year. Pit Bull Dog Permits shall expire on December 31 of each year. The renewal fee for the first Pit Bull dog shall be $12.50 and $10 for each additional Pit Bull dog. A Pit Bull Dog is defined as the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, the American Pit Bull Terrier or any mix containing any of these breeds.